Creator

Walter H. Breen (1930?-1993) was the author of numerous numismatic works, including Proof Coins Struck by the United States Mint, 1817-1921 (1953), Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of United States Half Cents (1984), and Walter Breen’s Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins (1988).

Administrative Information

Access

Preferred Citation

Restrictions

Copyright restrictions may apply. Permission to publish or reproduce must be secured from the American Numismatic Society.

Biographical Note

Biographical Note

Walter H. Breen (1930?-1993) was the author of numerous numismatic works, including Proof Coins Struck by the United States Mint, 1817-1921 (1953), Walter Breen’s Encyclopedia of United
States Half Cents (1984), and Walter Breen’s Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins (1988).

Scope and Content Note

Scope and Content Note

Contains correspondence and typed and handwritten notes (1949-1952) on topics such as large cents, half cents, pieces de caprice, trial pieces for the 1792 U.S. cent, struck copies of
American colonial coins, auction sales, and silver coins. Includes some original artwork and sketches (1952), photographs of coins, notes written on the back of a flyer from CORE
(Congress of Racial Equality) with the title “Don’t Buy at Woolworth,” and a letter and poems sent to Armand Champa (1992). Also present are works by Breen such as an original
typescript of The Billon Sous Marques of Canada (undated), an unpublished typescript of U.S. Cents, 1816-1857: A Supplement (circa 1953), an unpublished annotated typescript of a book
on U.S. dimes (circa 1960), an original typescript of Massachusetts Silver: A Tentative Checklist (circa 1962), a copy of a typescript of Major Varieties of U.S. Gold Dollars,
Including Die State: A Complete Revision (1970s), a copy of a privately distributed “half cent book manuscript” (1980s), a bound photocopy of a typescript with corrections of Breen’s
book on half cents (1984), and what is purportedly the first copy off the press of Walter Breen’s Complete Encyclopedia of U.S. and Colonial Coins, which is inscribed to Mark Auerbach
(1988).